Body of ex-LAPD gunman identified in charred cabin

The charred human remains located in the burned out cabin in Seven Oaks, Calif., have been positively identified to be those of Christopher Dorner, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Officials said the positive identification was made through a dental examination during an autopsy.

The announcement puts a cap on one of the largest and deadliest manhunts in California history.

The LAPD, which had been under a series of tactical alerts while Dorner was on the lam, cautiously returned to normal operations on Wednesday, a day after the suspect believed to be Dorner was cornered in a cabin near the Big Bear resort area.

Investigators had been combing the ski resort area since last Thursday, when Dorner’s burnt Nissan truck was found there hours after he allegedly ambushed cops in two cities, killing Officer Michael Crain.

Days earlier, police believe, Dorner killed the daughter of a retired police captain and her fiancé in Irvine to kick off a killing spree that sowed fear across the region and in the ranks of law enforcement.

All three slayings were suspected to be connected to Dorner and the plans he allegedly laid out in a manifesto targeting law enforcement officers and their families. He was incensed at the LAPD after being fired for filing a false complaint.

In a shootout on Tuesday, Dorner killed a fourth person, Sheriff's Deputy Jeremiah MacKay, and wounded another officer as he tried to escape the manhunt.

Karen and Jim Reynolds came face to face with Christopher Dorner when they arrived at their Big Bear cabin to clean it out for renters. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.